Fair Admissions Principles

Fair admissions and good practice underpins everything SPA does in its work with those responsible for and managing the selection and admission of students to higher education. SPA provides advice and guidance to admissions staff in institution on the principles and policy of fair admissions and develops evidence based good practice for universities and colleges throughout the UK to enable them to develop their professionalism. The high level principles of fair admissions that SPA promotes are those identified by Professor Steven Schwartz's independent group reviewing admissions to higher education in the report: Fair admissions to Higher Education: Recommendations for good practice that was published in 2004, known as the Schwartz Report.

The 5 Principles of the Schwartz report

A fair admissions system should:

be transparent

enable institutions to select students who are able to complete the course, as judged by their achievements and their potential

strive to use assessment methods that are reliable and valid

seek to minimise barriers for applicants

be professional in every aspect and underpinned by appropriate institutional structures and processes